--- title: Mental Models: The Mind’s Search Algorithm description: "A good search algorithm allows you to make your mental choices clear" canonical: https://time.com/3773896/mental-models-minds-search-algorithm/ author: Shane Parrish article:opinion: true article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-01T11:00:31.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:49:40.440Z article:section: Ideas og:title: Mental Models: The Mind’s Search Algorithm og:description: "A good search algorithm allows you to make your mental choices clear" og:url: https://time.com/3773896/mental-models-minds-search-algorithm/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Mental Models: The Mind’s Search Algorithm twitter:description: "A good search algorithm allows you to make your mental choices clear" twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # Mental Models: The Mind’s Search Algorithm by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish May 1, 2015 11:00 AM UTC by [Shane Parrish](https://time.com/author/shane-parrish/) ## Shane Parrish May 1, 2015 11:00 AM UTC [Mental models](https://www.farnamstreetblog.com/mental-models/) are tools for the mind. In his talk: [Academic Economics: Strengths and Weaknesses, after Considering Interdisciplinary Needs](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2015/03/charlie-munger-academic-economics/), at the University of California at Santa Barbara, in 2003, Charlie Munger honed in on why we like to specialize. --- > “” --- The [more models you have](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/2014/11/charlie-munger-mental-models/) from outside your discipline and the more you iterate through them when faced with a challenge in a checklist sort of fashion, the better you’ll be able to solve problems. Models are additive. Like LEGO. The more you have the more things you can build, the more connections you can make between them and the more likely you are to be able to determine the relevant variables that govern the situation. And when you learn these models you need to ask yourself under what conditions will this tool fail? That way you’re not only looking for situations where the tool is useful but also situations where something interesting is happening that might warrant further attention. **The Mind’s Search Engine** In [Diaminds: Decoding the Mental Habits of Successful Thinkers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802099912/farnamstreet-20), Roger Martin looks at our mental search engine. Now for the final step in the design of the mentally choiceful stance: the search engine, as in ‘How did I solve these problems?’ ‘Obviously,’ you will answer yourself, ‘I was using a simple search engine in my mind to go through checklist style, and I was using some rough algorithms that work pretty well in many complex systems.’ What does a search engine do? It searches. And how do you organize an efficient search? Well, algorithm designers tell us you have to have an efficient organization of the contents of whatever it is you are searching. And a tree structure allows you to search more efficiently than most alternative structures. So what’s Munger’s search algorithm? (from an interview with Munger via [Diaminds: Decoding the Mental Habits of Successful Thinkers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802099912/farnamstreet-20):) --- > “” --- (via [Diaminds: Decoding the Mental Habits of Successful Thinkers](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802099912/farnamstreet-20)) --- > “” --- **_This piece originally appeared on_** [**_Farnam Street_**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/)**_._** **Join over 50,000 readers and get a free weekly update via email** [**here**](http://www.farnamstreetblog.com/newsletter/)**.** ### 5 Horrible Habits You Need to Stop Right Now  Do Not Email First Thing in the Morning or Last Thing at Night “The former scrambles your priorities and all your plans for the day and the latter just gives you insomnia,” says Ferriss, who insists “email can wait until 10am” or after you check off at least one substantive to-do list item. Chris Pecoraro—Getty Images  Do Not Agree to Meetings or Calls With No Clear Agenda or End Time “If the desired outcome is defined clearly… and there’s an agenda listing topics–questions to cover–no meeting or call should last more than 30 minutes,” claims Ferriss, so “request them in advance so you can ‘best prepare and make good use of our time together.'” Sam Edwards—Getty Images/Caiaimage  Do Not Check Email Constantly Batch it and check it only periodically at set times (Ferriss goes for twice a day). Your inbox is analogous to a cocaine pellet dispenser, says Ferriss. Don’t be an addict. Tools like strategic use of the auto responder and Boomerang can help. Jetta Productions—Getty Images  Do Not Carry a Digital Leash 24/7 At least one day a week leave you smartphone somewhere where you can’t get easy access to it. If you’re gasping, you’re probably the type of person that most needs to do kick this particular habit. by nacoki ( MEDIA ARC )—Getty Images/Flickr RF  Do Not Let People Ramble Sounds harsh, but it’s necessary, Ferriss believes. “Small talk takes up big time,” he says, so when people start to tell you about their weekends, cut them off politely with something like “I’m in the middle of something, but what’s up?” But be aware, not everyone agrees with this one (and certainly not in every situation), and you may want to pay particularly close attention to norms around chit chat when traveling internationally. 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